CHICAGO, IL – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in July and nonfarm payrolls increased by +3,700 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The June job gain was revised down slightly from its initial report to show a smaller gain. (+17,200 jobs versus +18,100 jobs).

Job growth accelerated in the May to July period posting average monthly gains of +9,500 jobs over this three-month period, more than the 6-month average monthly gain of +8,200 jobs between February and July 2018.

“The state’s unemployment rate continued its downward trend in July and stands at its lowest point in 18 years,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “Illinois payroll employment also saw its largest over-the-year gain in more than two years.”

“The Illinois economy continues its comeback,” said Illinois Department of Commerce Director Sean McCarthy. “We are seeing what reduced red tape, a competitive economy, and investment in workforce and career pathways can do to promote growth and opportunity across the state.”

In July, the three industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Manufacturing (+2,400); Leisure and Hospitality (+2,000); and Professional and Business Services (+1,900). The industry sector with the largest payroll decline was: Government (-1,700).

Over-the-year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +65,700 jobs with the largest gains in these industry sectors in July: Manufacturing (+14,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+13,100); and Government (+11,500). The industry sectors with the over-the-year declines were: Information Services (-3,600) and Mining (-100). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were up +1.1 percent over-the-year in sharp contrast to the nation’s +1.6 percent over-the-year gain in July. This was the fourth consecutive month with over-the-year payroll employment increases of more than 50,000 in Illinois.

The state’s unemployment rate is +0.3 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for July 2018, which fell to 3.9 percent. The Illinois unemployment rate is down -0.8 percentage points from a year ago when it was 5.0 percent. The Illinois jobless rate last stood at 4.2 percent in February 2000.

The number of unemployed workers decreased -1.3 percent from the prior month to 272,200, down -15.5 percent over the same month for the prior year. The labor force was about unchanged over-the-month and over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and are seeking employment.

An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work. To help connect jobseekers to employers who are hiring, IDES’ maintains the state’s largest job search engine, IllinoisJoblink.com (IJL), which recently showed 55,888 posted resumes with 204,916 jobs available.

Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Jul-18

Jun-18

Jul-17

3 month
Moving
Average

Over the
Month
Change

Over the
Year
Change

Illinois

4.2%

4.3%

5.0%

4.2%

-0.1

-0.8

U.S.

3.9%

4.0%

4.3%

3.9%

-0.1

-0.4

Illinois Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Jobs – by Major Industry

Industry

Jul-18
Current*

Jun-18*
Prior mnth**

Jul-17
Year Ago

Over the
Month

Over the
Year

3-month
Moving Avg

Change from
Previous
3-month
Moving Avg

IL – Total Nonfarm

6,128,900

6,125,200

6,063,200

3,700

65,700

6,120,700

9,500

IL – Mining

7,700

7,700

7,800

0

-100

7,700

100

IL – construction

227,700

226,000

220,400

1,700

7,300

226,600

800

IL – Manufacturing

591,000

588,600

576,200

2,400

14,800

589,000

1,000

IL – Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

1,214,500

1,214,000

1,210,100

500

4,400

1,215,800

-1,200

IL – Information

82,400

83,200

96,000

-800

-3,600

93,100

-600

IL – Financial Activities

399,200

399,000

391,600

200

7,600

399,200

200

IL – Professional and Business Services

947,200

945,300

943,200

1,900

4,000

944,400

2,500

IL – Educational and Health Services

929,400

930,700

922,800

-1,300

6,600

929,700

1,100

IL – Leisure and Hospitality

623,200

621,200

610,100

2,000

13,100

619,900

2,600

IL – Other Services

252,300

253,500

252,200

-1,200

100

252,600

300

IL – Government

844,300

846,000

832,800

-1,700

11,500

842,900

3,000

*preliminary
**Final

1976-2017 seasonally adjusted labor force data for Illinois, and all other states, have been revised as required by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The monthly historical revisions to state labor force estimates reflect new national benchmark controls, state working-age population controls, seasonal factors, as well as updated total nonfarm jobs and unemployment benefits claims inputs. Illinois labor force data were also smoothed to eliminate large monthly changes as a result of volatility in the monthly Census Population Survey (CPS) and national benchmarking. In February 2018, the BLS also introduced a new seasonal adjustment procedure for state labor force estimates which resulted in the entire monthly historical series for Illinois and all other states being replaced. For all of these reasons, the comments and tables citing unemployment rates in previous state news releases/materials may no longer be valid.

Not seasonally adjusted jobs data with industry detail are available at Not Seasonally Adjusted Jobs. “Other Services” include activities in three broad categories: Personal and laundry; repair and maintenance; and religious, grant making, civic and professional organizations. Seasonally adjusted employment data for subsectors within industries are not available

About IDES : IDES encourages employment by connecting employers to jobseekers, provides unemployment insurance benefits to eligible individuals, produces labor market data and protects taxpayers from unemployment insurance fraud. Visit the Department’s website at www.ides.illinois.gov for more information. You can also follow IDES on Twitter and Facebook.

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